Pages

Thursday, April 28, 2011

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

A while back, my readers voted that I read The Millenium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson. The stars were aligned because around the same time, my book group selected to read The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. What could I do but to read this much anticipated series? (Sadly, it has taken me so long to get this review posted, despite it being written long hand for months!)

There has been so much talk about Dragon Tattoo, that from page one I was expecting utter brilliance. Unfortunately, I did not find it. I stuck with the book and by about the fourth chapter, the story began to get exciting. Of course, this is also approximately where Lisbeth Salander was introduced. Once she became a part of the story, I became hooked, wanting to discover more about her. She is a true enigma that leaves the reader wanting more . . . wanting to solve the puzzle and figure out the secrets that are so deeply hidden.

Larsson not only intrigues his readers with a unique character in a great mystery, but he brings in true statistics from an issue plaguing his home country -- sexual crimes. The numbers are truly staggering and adds a whole different dimension to this bestseller . . . it brings the issue to the forefront, right in the spotlight to be fought in the public eye.

All in all, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a book that left me wanting to discover more about Lisbeth (the true main character of this novel), but also interested in knowing more about a social justice issue that is usually avoided. It is a hard topic to breach, but I believe Larsson successfully brought it out in the open and got many people around the world thinking about the topic . . . the first step in working towards a solution.

If you have read Larsson's books, what thoughts would you share with potential readers?

Lisbeth makes the entire book. Without her it is just like every other crime novel. But she is such an intriguing character and you never know what will happen next with her. She makes the whole series. I am glad you finally read this one!

Jenn . . . I actually have read the rest of the series already and will be hopefully be posting reviews next week! I definitely agree about Book 2!!

Jenny . . . I do like them, but be warned that there is some graphic scenes. I've seen the first movie, and it sticks pretty close to the books. There are a few details that are left out that annoy me though!

Rebecca :) . . . Totally agree!! She is one of the best characters I've read in a while!

You know my thoughts on this book - I really didn't like it. Yes, Lisbeth is an intriguing character, and yes it does highlight rape and sexual violence - but since most thrillers seem to feature sexual violence of some kind, I wasn't impressed just because the author threw some real-life statistics around.

Thank you in advance for your comments! I love to hear reader's thoughts and respond to each one within the comment section. Please feel free to subscribe to the comment feed to ensure you can fully participate in the conversations.

Comments on posts older than 14 days are first approved through comment moderation. Word verification should not be turned on, so please notify me if it randomly appears.

Welcome to Tif Talks Books!

I am Tif: an avid reader, lover of all things literary, and the mind behind the writing of Tif Talks Books. This blog features a multitude of conversations, spanning from book reviews and discussions to even topics on the craft of writing. Whatever your age, whatever your interest, you will likely find a treasure amongst the content!